The riskiest area in Bangkok is Soi Lat Phrao 101, according to a list compiled by the Metropolitan Police Bureau.

"We have prepared the list based on crime statistics, surroundings and tip-offs from people," Police spokesman Lt-General Pongsapat Pongcha-roen said yesterday.

Soi Lat Phrao 101 and a community there see the highest number of crimes compared with other areas in the capital.

Coming second on the list is Soi Lat Phrao 107.

"These two sois are under the jurisdiction of Lat Phrao Police Station," Pongsapat said.

To boost safety in the areas, Pongsapat said the station's patrolmen in collaboration with Bang Kapi District Office's city police would regularly conduct joint patrols there.

Close watch

"Also, closed-circuit security cameras will be installed at the mouth, in the middle of and at the end of the sois," Pongsapat said.

He added that taxi-motorcycle drivers and scrap workers in the areas would also be trained to watch over the areas and help police prevent crimes.

Ranked third on the list of Bangkok's riskiest areas is Soi Supapong.

Next are Soi Sukhumvit 105 (La Salle), Soi Phaholyothin 52, Sanam Luang, the Victory Monument, Soi Onnut 44, |Soi Chalermphrakiat 14 (connecting Soi Premrutai) and Ram-Intra Market respectively.

Earlier, police identified 5,365 areas in Bangkok as risky spots. "But after we introduced more safety measures in those areas, the number of crimes there have dropped," Pongsa-pat said.

He said police would continue to work hard in a bid to ensure public safety.

"Our crime-prevention mea-sures will soon cover areas outside Bangkok too," Pong-sapat added.

-The Nation/Asia News Network